1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a lever for an automotive door checking device, particularly to a method for molding a resin lever in a mold, and to the lever produced in accordance with the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A door checking device is mounted to an automobile door to enable maintaining the door in phased half open state.
As it is disclosed in the Japanese Examined Utility Model Publications (KOKOKU) Nos.18529/1983 and 8886/1984, the conventional door checking device is composed of: a lever having the upper and lower surfaces as sliding surfaces and movably pivoted to the piller of the automotive body, and a retainer member mounted to the door, wherein the lever is incorporated into the retainer member in such a manner that the lever passes through the retainer member and the retainer member slides along the upper and lower surfaces of the lever upon opening and closing of the door. Stopper parts are formed on the upper and lower sliding surfaces of the lever at the places corresponding to half or full open state of the door. Accordingly, when the retainer member is positioned at the respective stopper part of the lever, the door may be held in half or full open state.
In the above described conventional automotive door checking device, a metal lever is employed and therefore, grease application is required at the sliding surfaces of the lever. However, the grease application to the lever presents numerous problems as follows:
1). When door is opened, the greased lever is exposed for view and it greatly reduces the aesthetic property of the automobile. PA1 2). The greased lever is susceptive to collecting dust, dirt, etc. Also, the grease may spread further to the other part of the door or the automotive body. PA1 3). In the event that the grease is running short, the sliding performance of the retainer member on the lever becomes less smooth and generates noises.
In order to avoid the use of grease, the metal lever may be replaced with a resin lever. However, durability and anti-wearing property of the resin lever has been still questionable in actual use.